Laendra, A Light
by shinrinyokuu
Summary: Some things aren't always written in the stars, and Tasha has the will to change that. Gifted with the power to control time, she has one goal; stop Niyx Raedon from dying.
1. One

"Okay," Tasha whispered. "It's okay now."  
Her nimble fingers brushed the fresh dirt of Niyx's shallow grave. She'd watched Alex bury him and watched her spirit away. Hours had passed. Tasha had lost track of how many.

Her pale hands trembled as she formed a golden bubble with them. Tears welled and spilled, splattering on the soil.

She loved Niyx with everything she had. And if that meant saving him from a grisly death . . . well . . .

The bubble spun, gathering momentum and increasing in size. It was as tall as Tasha now. It kept growing.

 _Hold on, Niyx. Don't cross the border yet._

 _I'm coming for you._


	2. Two

Everything was so different, even though it was only a few months ago. She knew. She remembered.

Tasha Lorenn materialised at the edge of the precipice; almost toppling right off the Golden Cliffs. It felt so good to be back. That was one of the best things about her gift; she could always indulge her nostalgia.

But this was no time to slip into her memories. Meya had been taken and Tasha was in danger as long as she stayed. She had to leave.

She called up the Valispath and raced to the gleaming palace.

* * *

Tasha's mother had been a human. Her father had been a Meyarin, the last of House Lorenn.  
Both of them were six feet underground.

She glanced quickly at her hands. She had a gift. She could control the Valispath with inhuman strength and speed. Who was she? Who could she pledge allegiance to without being called out as a traitor by the other side?

Not that it mattered right now. She had to hurry.  
The hallway she was in right now, all plush deep blue carpet and blank white walls with silver patterns, was empty, but that couldn't last. Aven had Claimed mind readers; if they sensed an enemy presence . . .

She couldn't just throw open any door for fear of stumbling upon the very mind readers she was trying to avoid, or just finding anyone who wasn't Niyx. She didn't know what she was really doing here, other than looking for Niyx. Looking for proof he was still here. Staying with him and eventually saving his self-sacrificing butt.

Tasha's feet padded along silently, any sound muted by the carpet. No voices reached her ears. Which room was Niyx's? By the stars . . .

Her throat was so dry it felt like sandpaper. What happened next was purely luck, and maybe the fact she was getting closer to the king's and queen's chambers.

A door in front of her was ajar. Through it, she could see a young man, pale as paper, sitting at an antique desk with his black-haired head resting against the chair's back. He was sleeping.

Tasha crept closer. Was this him? Stars, what she wouldn't give to see him again . . . her heart leapt into her mouth.

Part of her wanted to rush forward, bury her face in his stomach and hug him. Part of her wanted to stay there forever, comforted by the rise and fall of his chest. By the fact he was alive. And part of her, an overwhelmingly present part, held in her laughter, walked forward, kicked his shin and leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

"You're not Claimed after all, are you?"

* * *

That may have not been the best joke at the moment, because Niyx was a notoriously light sleeper. Tasha was thrown on the ground, Niyx shutting the door, unsheathing his sword and pressing it to her throat in one fluid movement.

"Okay," Tasha choked out. "Hello to you, too, pal."

Niyx's arm relaxed and he took her hand, pulling her back up and bombarding her with questions. "Stars, Tasha, what are you doing here? How'd you find me? How'd you get down here? Are you Claimed?"

"Honey, would I bother playing that joke on you if I was Claimed?" Tasha drawled.

Niyx cracked a tired smile. "You still haven't answered my other questions. How are things in Draekora?" He sat down, nodding for her to do the same.

"From bad to slightly better," Tasha collapsed on the king-sized bed and started talking.


	3. Three

"Is Alex okay?" Niyx asked, seconds after she finished speaking. Something in Tasha's chest ached at the mention of the girl who had, technically, gotten Niyx killed. Who commanded all his love, for whom he would die for.

He'd never do that for Tasha. She knew. It had happened before.

* * *

They'd only been children, appearing maybe twelve years old. They'd been running wildly through Raelia, kids out of control and unrestricted by rules, laughing their heads off. Tasha kept heading deeper and deeper, Niyx following hot on her heels.

It was then that the Sarnaph burst out of the foliage.

It had struck out at Tasha and she had fallen, bleeding, to the ground. She remembered screaming, and she remembered Niyx just _standing_ there, a horrified look painted on his face.

She remembered feeling alone.

She remembered the burning pain, flaring whenever she tried to move. Any stimuli hurt.

She remembered the blood, drowning out everything else. She remembered her heart beating in her ears, and a feeling of being underwater.

She remembered it _all_.

The Sarnaph had ignored him and almost killed Tasha. If it wasn't for the _Zeltora_ guard patrolling the premises . . . well.

She still had the scars, three sharp silver lines extending from her heart, across her right shoulder and down to the small of her back.

* * *

She knew Niyx and Alex would never fall _in_ love, but they still _loved_ each other. And that was what hurt Tasha the most; knowing that whatever her wishes, whatever she'd been through and whatever bond she had with Niyx, it was nothing compared to Alexandra Jennings.

"She's fine," Tasha shrugged. _Lying_. She had caught Niyx at the exact right time; an hour before Alex showed up at Draekora, bearing _laendra_ and her chance to be captured by Gaiel Varsae.

Niyx smiled, relief showing on his face.

Tasha smiled reassuringly back. And thought about what a repulsive, selfish creature she was.

"Are you okay?" Niyx asked, but Tasha didn't catch it; she was too busy trying to hold back hot tears. "Are you okay?" He asked again, knocking her foot with his.

"I'm fine," Tasha said, and looked up at the amethyst eyes gazing questioningly into her own. "I'll live."

"How's Aven? Is he stable?" Tasha asked, figuring it was her turn. Niyx froze up, and she frowned intensely. "Niyx?"

Niyx still didn't talk.

"Niyx! Is Aven okay?" Tasha demanded, because as far as she was concerned, the welfare of her former best friend was important right now, if nothing else was. She was the only one in all of Medora who still believed there was hope for Aven.

"You should go," Niyx said suddenly. His voice was cold. "Really. Aven could find you at any moment."

"You know he'd never hurt me," Tasha responded quietly. "He'd never hurt either of us."

Niyx didn't look up. "You should go," He repeated, and Tasha didn't know what to say.

If she left, Niyx would die all over again.

If she stayed, she would probably be captured and killed.

"I'm here for you," Tasha's voice struggled to form the words, "if you need me."

She turned and strode onto the balcony, looking back onto his still form once more. If he needed her; what a stupid and naive sentiment. Niyx didn't need her. He had survived fine on his own.


	4. Four

The _Valispath_ was usually comforting, but this time it gave Tasha no time to think. No time to even process what was going on.

She had spent too long talking. Gaiel Varsae was _right behind_ Alex. She was turning, a confused smile on her face, the glowing door in front of her.

It was as if an angel had whispered it in her ear.

Tasha leapt off the _Valispath,_ arms outstretched. It all happened so quickly, but this time, she absorbed it all.

Gaiel nearly dropped the dark powder in his hand, his narrow eyes widening. Alex opened her mouth to scream as a blur of blonde hair and combat boots slammed into her. They tumbled into the door, falling into the Library. The glowing door closed behind them.

Alex immediately shoved Tasha off her. "What the hell? Who - Tasha?"

"I can explain. You need to get out of here," Tasha responded urgently. God. _God._ How much longer did they have? Aven would launch his attack soon, quicker now that Alex would not be his to torture. How quickly could Gaiel get a message to Aven?

"I'm not moving until you explain," Alex said firmly. "What was that? That stuff in Gaiel's hand?"

"Alex, listen to me. Gaiel was going to turn you in for his daughter. You're not safe in Draekora for much longer, and now that he knows you know, he's going to tell Aven. I'm not sure what Aven'll do to him, and I don't want to care, but I do, and _you need to find Niyx_."

Alex stepped back, her face frozen. She didn't cry. She didn't shout.

Her eyes went cold. "Where is he?"

"The palace. I can take you there, but then I need to get to Graevale."

Alex looked like she was about to explode from the overload of information.

"Why Graevale?" She demanded. "What's going on?"

Oh, yeah. She was mortal.

"Aven," Tasha blurted. "Aven's going to launch an attack on Graevale. You need to get to Niyx. _Now_."

Alex frowned. "But..."

"Alex!" Tasha cried furiously. "If you don't get to Niyx now and rally the remaining Meyarins and your mortal army, N -"

Hesitation.

"-something terrible will happen. I can't let it. Okay?"

Alex sucked in a sharp breath. "Okay. I trust you, okay? Talk to Kyia and Zain for me - this might go quicker if you're on board."

Tasha nodded. Just as Alex was about to step through to Niyx's chamber, though, Tasha turned.

"Stay safe," She called.

Because she couldn't bear it if Alexandra were to die.


	5. Five

**I recently deleted my TMC Instagram fan account (vardaisies) but now I'm getting back into the fandom and ideas are blossoming at an aLARMING rate. Should I make an Instagram account for a TMC comic? (hA my art skills are worse than my writing skills lolol) In other news...where were we with the story?**

 _Some_ _thousands of years ago..._

"I have much more important things to do than attend the banquet," Niyx continued. "Also, I'm not invited. But she is!"

Alex frowned and turned, opening her mouth when she noticed the girl skidding to a halt in front of them. She had long blonde hair and freckles, her eyes a bright blue. She was wearing a pretty white summery dress paired with sandals. Alex noted that she blushed when her gaze fell upon Niyx, and she immediately turned her eyes to Alex, suddenly curious.

"Have you seen Aven?" She puffed. Niyx shook his head.

"But, sweetheart, he's holed up in his room. You can do so much bet - " He began, a devious grin on his face that dropped as soon as the girl shot him a stern look.

"He's just a friend. I needed...oh, are you going to introduce me to your companion, by the way?" She added. Niyx blew out a long breath, rolling his eyes.

"Tasha, this is Aeylia. She's staying with the royal family for a while, but you can get the full story from Aven. Aeylia, this is Tasha Lorenn. She's half-human, so you two should get along just fine, seeing as you were raised by mortals."

Tasha raised one eyebrow. She started to say something in the common tongue for Alex's benefit, but Niyx beat her to it.

"She'll be at the banquet tonight as well because her grandfather doesn't trust her at home alone anymore," He said in Meyarin, smirking.

"It was one escapade!" Tasha said, almost whining, having switched over to (one of) Alex's (many) language(s). "I was _going_ to be back before him, but I started chasing a squirrel and that led me to the Sarnaph..."

"Sarnaph?" Alex choked out, half-shocked by Tasha's dismissive tone. "How do you brush off a Sarnaph encounter just like that?"

"Technically, it wasn't an encounter," Tasha pointed out. "It was more of 'I saw a Sarnaph and ran away with minor injuries' sort of thing, but _Loro_ Roathus went on about how I was much more vulnerable as a half-mortal and now I'm..." She hesitated, searching for the right word in the common tongue. "...held at home, or at the palace, given Roka, Aven, Kyia or Niyx agrees to watch me."

"Grounded?" Alex suggested, and Tasha nodded.

"Thank you, _Lasa_ Aeylia. I hope we can get to know each other during your stint at the palace," She said formally.

"Aww, thanks! That's a lot more heartfelt than some people have said to me," She answered, shooting a pointed look at Niyx, who feigned surprise. "I hope to get to know you better as well."

Beat. Then - "Catch you later, kitten!" Niyx said, flashing a devilish smirk and leaving. Tasha's bright expression was fixed in place for another second before dropping.

"I'll take my leave as well. Be seeing you, Aeylia," She said stoically, and Alex mentally groaned as the other girl passed her. _Seriously?_

* * *

"But I don't like Niyx!" Alex spluttered a few days later, as Aven finished talking about his week-long absence and started a trivial topic before he left for dinner. What Alex said was true - Niyx's ceaseless flirting was almost annoying, and she knew he didn't mean it either.

"That's not the point," Aven said, unrolling a large scroll with a lot of writing on it and reading off it. "The point is _Tasha_ thinks you do, and as long as she does she's going to despise you."

"Ugh. What's the worst she can do?" Alex sighed dramatically, flopping on her bed. "She's more like a kitten than I am. Puuure."

"True," Aven admitted. "But you should probably talk to her about it. Discourage Niyx as well; it's largely his actions that are causing her beliefs. I think half the royal staff believe he has an interest in you, too, although if they knew him better they'd realise he was just playing around."

"I'll have a word with Tasha," Alex amended. "Now get out of my room!"

Aven backed away, laughing. As soon as the door was closed, he grinned to himself, shredding the scroll once he was back in his room.


End file.
